Residential Centre for the Mentally disabled
- Client:
- Centre hospitalier de Saintonge
- Location:
- 17100 Saintes, France
The 'Maison d'Acceuil' (Residential Centre for the mentally disabled) at Chapelle-des-Pots (department of the Charente-Maritime) required an enlargement of their café which is used by both residents and staff. Though situated in a generous rural site, the small triangular footprint of the extension was dictated by a private road which permitted emergency access for the fire brigade.
The existing café suffers from excessive solar gain from the south west and so we conceived a timber addition with a low 'slit' window toward the west and a glazed façade to the south, (sheltered by a deep overhang) which protects users of the café from extremes of temperature and gives the building a new relationship with the external terraces and the gardens beyond. Completion is due in 2009